9/29/14

How to Scientifically Determine When To Turn Down A Job

No one wants to pass up a “great opportunity.” Certainly not me.  When I was in my 20’s I’d say “yes” to countless stand-up gigs, web-videos, presentation pilots, pop culture blogging, you-name-it.

I needed to build-up my professional resume and I knew I could learn from people who had more experience than I did.

But after a few years of fattening my resume, I was burning myself out on other people’s projects. I didn’t have much to show for it. And mostly I was learning that a lot of the projects weren’t what they promised to be and neither were the people.

Worst of all, the combination of low-paying and no-paying gigs was keeping me from pursuing my own dreams. 

But today when someone contacts me with “a great opportunity” I use this simple test (created by my wife and me) to decide what to do.

Once the potential employer/collaborator/Svengali gives me the details on the workload, I rate the project based on these traits.

(1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest)


Money (score it on a scale of 1 – 5) 
Is there pay?  Is the pay any good?  Is there enough money for the amount of time required?

Creatively fulfilling (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)
Will this work be personally satisfying? If not, there better be something else on this list as a reason to do it.

Peers (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)
Will I be in contact with enjoyable, admirable peers? Are these people I want to build a professional relationship with?

Impact on personal life (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)
Will this movie/TV show/interactive online novella get in the way of my time with friends and family?  Am I going to be working late nights?  Is that worth it?

Beneficial for my Career (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)
Does this job represent a clear step forward on chosen professional path?

HOW TO SCORE THE TEST
Just as New York City has standards about what grade of meat is served in its restaurants, I have a number that a project must clear.  

Then I can take a job, provided the sum clears that hurdle.

Sometimes the money’s bad, but the collaborators are good and it’s not too time consuming. 

Or maybe the job isn’t a resume builder, but the money’s great.

Or it’s not inspiring people, but the project is something I’ve always wanted to try so it’s personally fulfilling.

I’ve taken every possible combination of traits and I’ve gone into each freelance job knowing exactly why I took it.


NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
Identify your top priorities.  Find your cut-off grade.

Maybe you don’t like working early hours.Or you want to work from home. Or you just want to take a one-time gig to put a big-name employer to put on your resume.

How bad does a job have to be for you to say no?  (Or how good does a job have to be for you to say yes?)


Once you decide what’s important to you, you can create your own version of the Freelancer’s test and you can start turning down jobs without any regrets or apologies.

* * * 

Kevin Maher is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer whose work has been seen on HBO, Comedy Central, CNN and Nickelodeon. Journalists have compared Kevin to Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters, but his highest praise came from Tiger Beat who called him “funny!”  Follow him on twitter: @KevinGeeksOut

And see his upcoming live shows during New York Super Week. MORE HERE

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9/18/14

Flat Stan Lee Goes to FUNSPOT

A trip to FUNSPOT -- the biggest arcade in the entire world! 

 
Whoops - I spent the entire game with my left turn signal on. 

Best video game based on a play by William Shakespeare. 

Could it be? A true super-villain inside Funspot 
trying to reclaim his Donkey Kong record??

9/4/14

Kevin Geeks Out -- As seen in The New York Times


The New York Times ran a swell article about Kevin Geeks Out and The Brooklyn Brain Jam. You can read it HERE.

Want to attend an upcoming KEVIN GEEKS OUT show? 
We have 3 big events in October: 

NERD COMEDY: for nerd, by nerds
with TV's FRANK (from MST3K)
Wednesday October 8th @ 8:00pm

KEVIN GEEKS OUT - COMIC CON SPECTACULAR
at Webster Hall -- click HERE for tickets
Saturday October 11th @ 8:00pm

KEVIN & MATT GEEK OUT ABOUT ZOMBIES
Thursday October 23rd @ 9:30pm

For details on THE BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM, here's a link for the full schedule and another link for tickets.
* * * 
Lastly, the Times' tin-foil hat photo (by Matt Glasson) is from KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS. You can watch the trailer below, along with trailers for previous KGO shows. 

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT EVIL


KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT MONKEYS

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT WRESTLING


Follow me on twitter to find out about any upcoming events.
@KevinGeeksOut

photo by Tom Henning.

9/3/14

Full Schedule for the BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM

This Sunday, September 7th it's the 
FIRST ANNUAL BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM

A day-long festival of entertainment from long-running shows, including KEVIN GEEKS OUT, THE STORY COLLIDER, NERD NITE and THE BIG QUIZ THING.

Click HERE for tickets.

Sunday, September 7th, 12 - 6pm
at The Bell House
149 7th Street, Brooklyn NY